Isaiah 42
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 42 of 66 | Day: 189 of 742
Date: August 19, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Isaiah 42 opens with one of the most consequential passages in the consolation section: โBehold My servant, whom I upholdโ (ืื ืขืืื ืืชืื ืื). The classical commentators divide over the servantโs identity in a way that frames the whole chapter. Rashi reads the servant as Yaakov-Israel itself โ โBehold My servant Jacob is not like you, for I will support himโ โ anchoring the reading in Tehillim 135:4, โFor the Eternal chose Jacob for Himself,โ and in Yeshayahuโs own words later, โfor the sake of My servant Jacob and Israel My chosen oneโ (45:4). Radak and Metzudat David, by contrast, read these opening verses as a portrait of the future anointed king (ืืื ืืืฉืื), upon whom the spirit of the Lord rests as promised in chapter 11, and who will โpromulgate justice to the nationsโ โ settling disputes between peoples so that war ceases, in fulfillment of the vision of chapter 2. Both readings agree on the essential point: the figure works not by conquest but by quiet moral authority. He does not shout in the streets (verse 2); he does not break the bruised reed (ืงื ื ืจืฆืืฅ) or quench the dim wick (verse 3) โ images the commentators unpack as gentleness toward the weak and the poor, a governance so mild that even the frail feel no burden, yet one that brings forth judgment โin truthโ (ืืืืช ืืืฆืื ืืฉืคื) until Torah reaches the waiting coastlands (verse 4).
Verses 5 through 9 ground this promise in creation itself. The God who speaks is โthe Creator of the heavens who stretched them out, who spread forth the earthโ โ language Radak explains as a deliberate polemic against those in the prophetโs generation who held the world eternal or accidental, with no Creator. From that foundation comes the commission of verse 6: โI have called you in righteousnessโฆ and I have made you a covenant people, a light of nationsโ (ืืจืืช ืขื, ืืืืจ ืืืื). Rashi hears the verse addressed to Yeshayahu himself, formed from the first to return the people to the covenant and enlighten them; Radak addresses it to Israel, through whom the nations are sustained and taught, โfor out of Zion shall go forth Torahโ; Metzudat David refers it to the Mashiach. The task is to open blind eyes and bring prisoners out of the dungeon โ which Radak and Metzudat David read concretely as Israel released from the darkness of exile. Verses 8 and 9 then supply the theological warrant that dominates chapters 40 through 48: God will not yield His glory to idols, and the proof of His sovereignty is fulfilled prophecy โ โthe former things, behold, they have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they sprout I announce them to you.โ
The response to this announcement is the โnew songโ (ืฉืืจ ืืืฉ) of verses 10 through 13, a burst of cosmic praise modeled on the psalms: seafarers and the creatures of the deep, the desert and the tent-villages of Kedar, the dwellers of Sela shouting from the mountaintops. Radak pictures the nations at the far ends of the earth witnessing the wonders of Israelโs redemption and joining the song, while Rashi preserves the striking Targumic reading that the โrock dwellersโ are the dead who will be resurrected. Then the imagery turns martial: โThe Lord goes forth like a warriorโ (ืืณ ืืืืืจ ืืฆื), rousing jealousy for His people. Verse 14 is among the boldest anthropomorphisms in the book โ God has kept silent โfrom of old,โ restraining Himself over Israelโs suffering, and now cries out โlike a travailing womanโ (ืืืืืื ืืคืขื). Rashi reads the long silence as silence over the destruction of the Temple. The warrior levels mountains and dries rivers โ figures, Rashi explains, for the kings and rulers of the nations and their followers โ while leading the blind exiles home on a road they did not know, turning darkness before them into light (verse 16), and driving the idol-worshippers back in shame (verse 17).
Then comes the chapterโs great reversal. Verses 18 through 25 turn the servant language against its bearer: โWho is so blind as My servant, so deaf as the messenger I send?โ (verse 19). Rashi states flatly that the deaf and blind of verse 18 are Israel โ deaf to the word of God and blind to His deeds, as Radak elaborates, even with the evidence of fulfilled prophecy before their eyes. Verse 20 sharpens the charge: seeing much but guarding nothing, ears open yet hearing nothing. Into this indictment is set the famous verse 21, โThe Lord desires, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify Torah and make it gloriousโ (ืืณ ืืคืฅ ืืืขื ืฆืืงื ืืืืื ืชืืจื ืืืืืืจ) โ for Rashi, God magnifying Torah for Israel so that they might see and return; for Radak, a promise that in the days of redemption, for the sake of Godโs own righteousness rather than Israelโs merit, Torah will fill the earth and the blind eyes will at last be opened.
The chapter closes in the present tense of exile: โit is a people plundered and despoiled, all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisonsโ (verse 22), with none to say โGive back.โ The prophet demands that someone finally listen โfor what comes afterโ (ืืืืืจ) โ Rashi reads this as heeding what will stand at the end โ and supplies the confession that history awaits: โWho gave Jacob over to despoilment and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned?โ (verse 24). Radak insists the point of the question is to exclude chance: the catastrophe was not accident (ืืงืจื) but the measured consequence of abandoning Godโs ways and His Torah. The final verse depicts wrath blazing all around โ which Radak, citing his father, refers to Sancheriv seizing the cities of Yehudah and then pressing upon Yerushalayim itself โ โbut they gave it no thought.โ The chapter thus traces a complete arc, from the ideal servant who brings light to the nations to the actual servant who cannot yet see his own light, and it is precisely this tension that the following chapter answers with its opening words of unconditional love: โAnd now, thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacobโฆ fear not, for I have redeemed you.โ
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 42
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึตึคื ืขึทืึฐืึผึดืึ ืึถืชึฐืืืึฐึพืึผึืึน ืึผึฐืึดืืจึดึื ืจึธืฆึฐืชึธึฃื ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึดึื ื ึธืชึทึคืชึผึดื ืจืึผืึดืึ ืขึธืึธึืื ืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึื ืึทืึผืึนืึดึฅื ืืึนืฆึดึฝืืื
English:
This is My servant, whom I uphold,My chosen one, in whom I delight.I have put My spirit upon him,He shall teach the true way to the nations.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึนึฅื ืึดืฆึฐืขึทึืง ืึฐืึนึฃื ืึดืฉืึผึธึื ืึฐืึนืึพืึทืฉืึฐืึดึฅืืขึท ืึผึทืึืึผืฅ ืงืึนืึฝืึนื
English:
He shall not cry out or shout aloud,Or make his voice heard in the streets.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืงึธื ึถึคื ืจึธืฆืึผืฅึ ืึนึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืึผึืึนืจ ืึผืคึดืฉืึฐืชึผึธึฅื ืึตืึธึื ืึนึฃื ืึฐืึทืึผึถึื ึผึธื ืึถืึฑืึถึืช ืืึนืฆึดึฅืื ืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึฝืื
English:
He shall not break even a bruised reed,Or snuff out even a dim wick.aHe shall not break even a bruised reed, / Or snuff out even a dim wick Or โA bruised reed, he shall not be broken; / A dim wick, he shall not be snuffed out.โ He shall bring forth the true way.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึนึคื ืึดืึฐืึถืึ ืึฐืึนึฃื ืึธืจึืึผืฅ ืขึทืึพืึธืฉืึดึฅืื ืึผึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึื ืึผืึฐืชืึนืจึธืชึืึน ืึดืึผึดึฅืื ืึฐืึทืึตึฝืืึผืย {ืค}
English:
He shall not grow dim or be bruisedTill he has established the true way on earth;And the coastlands shall await his teaching.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึผึนืึพืึธืึทึืจ ืึธืึตึฃืโืโืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึผืึนืจึตึคื ืึทืฉืึผึธืึทึืึดืึ ืึฐื ึฃืึนืึตืืึถึื ืจึนืงึทึฅืข ืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืึฐืฆึถืึฑืฆึธืึถึืืึธ ื ึนืชึตึคื ื ึฐืฉืึธืึธืึ ืึธืขึธึฃื ืขึธืึถึืืึธ ืึฐืจึืึผืึท ืึทืึนืึฐืึดึฅืื ืึผึธึฝืึผื
English:
Thus said the ETERNAL God,Who created the heavens and stretched them out,Who spread out the earth and what it brings forth,Who gave breath to the people upon itAnd life to those who walk thereon:
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึฒื ึดึงื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืงึฐืจึธืืชึดึฅืืึธึฝ ืึฐืฆึถึืึถืง ืึฐืึทืึฐืึตึฃืง ืึผึฐืึธืึถึืึธ ืึฐืึถืฆึผืืจึฐืึธึ ืึฐืึถืชึผึถื ึฐืึธึ ืึดืึฐืจึดึฅืืช ืขึธึื ืึฐืึฅืึนืจ ืึผืึนืึดึฝืื
English:
I GOD, in My grace, have summoned you,And I have grasped you by the hand.I created you, and appointed youA covenant people,bcovenant people Lit. โcovenants of a peopleโ; meaning of Heb. uncertain. a light of nationsca light of nations See 49.6 and note.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึดืคึฐืง๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึืึท ืขึตืื ึทึฃืึดื ืขึดืึฐืจึืึนืช ืึฐืืึนืฆึดึคืื ืึดืึผึทืกึฐืึผึตืจึ ืึทืกึผึดึืืจ ืึดืึผึตึฅืืช ืึผึถึืึถื ืึนึฅืฉืึฐืึตื ืึนึฝืฉืึถืึฐื
English:
Opening eyes deprived of light,dOpening eyes deprived of light An idiom meaning โfreeing the imprisonedโ; cf. 61.1. Rescuing prisoners from confinement,From the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึฒื ึดึฅื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึฃืึผื ืฉืึฐืึดึื ืึผืึฐืืึนืึดืึ ืึฐืึทืึตึฃืจ ืึนึฝืึพืึถืชึผึตึื ืึผืชึฐืึดืึผึธืชึดึื ืึทืคึผึฐืกึดืืึดึฝืืื
English:
I am GOD, that is My name;I will not yield My glory to another,Nor My renown to idols.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึธืจึดืืฉืึนื ึืึนืช ืึดื ึผึตืึพืึธึืืึผ ืึทึฝืึฒืึธืฉืืึนืชึ ืึฒื ึดึฃื ืึทืึผึดึืื ืึผึฐืึถึฅืจึถื ืชึผึดืฆึฐืึทึืึฐื ึธื ืึทืฉืึฐืึดึฅืืขึท ืึถืชึฐืึถึฝืืย {ืค}
English:
See, the things once predicted have come,And now I foretell new things,Announce to you ere they sprout up.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืฉืึดึคืืจืึผ ืึทึฝืืึนืึธืึ ืฉืึดึฃืืจ ืึธืึธึืฉื ืชึผึฐืึดืึผึธืชึืึน ืึดืงึฐืฆึตึฃื ืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืืึนืจึฐืึตึคื ืึทืึผึธืึ ืึผืึฐืึนืึืึน ืึดืึผึดึืื ืึฐืึนืฉืึฐืึตืืึถึฝืื
English:
Sing to GOD a new song,Praise from the ends of the earthโYou who sail the sea and you creatures in it,You coastlandseYou who sail the sea and you creatures in it, / You coastlands Emendation yields โLet the sea roar and its creatures, / The coastlandsโฆโ Cf. Ps. 98.7. and their inhabitants!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึดืฉืึฐืึคืึผ ืึดืึฐืึผึธืจึ ืึฐืขึธืจึธึืื ืึฒืฆึตืจึดึืื ืชึผึตืฉืึตึฃื ืงึตืึธึืจ ืึธืจึนึื ึผืึผึ ืึนึฃืฉืึฐืึตื ืกึถึืึทืข ืึตืจึนึฅืืฉื ืึธืจึดึืื ืึดืฆึฐืึธึฝืืึผื
English:
Let the desert and its towns cry aloud,The villages where Kedar dwells;Let Selaโs inhabitants shout,Call out from the peaks of the mountains.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึธืฉืึดึฅืืืึผ ืึทืืึนืึธึื ืึผึธืึืึนื ืึผืชึฐืึดืึผึธืชึืึน ืึผึธืึดืึผึดึฅืื ืึทืึผึดึฝืืืึผื
English:
Let them do honor to GOD,And tell Godโs glory in the coastlands.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืึผึทืึผึดืึผึฃืึนืจ ืึตืฆึตึื ืึผึฐืึดึฅืืฉื ืึดืึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืึธืขึดึฃืืจ ืงึดื ึฐืึธึื ืึธืจึดึืืขึทึ ืึทืฃึพืึทืฆึฐืจึดึืืึท ืขึทืึพืึนืึฐืึธึืื ืึดืชึฐืึผึทืึผึธึฝืจืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
GOD goes forth like a warrior,Whipping up rage like a fighterโYelling, roaring aloud,Then charging upon the enemy.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 14
Hebrew:
ืึถืึฑืฉืึตึืืชึดืึ ืึตึฝืขืึนืึธึื ืึทืึฒืจึดึืืฉื ืึถืชึฐืึทืคึผึธึืง ืึผึทืึผืึนืึตืึธึฃื ืึถืคึฐืขึถึื ืึถืฉืึผึนึฅื ืึฐืึถืฉืึฐืึทึืฃ ืึธึฝืึทืื
English:
โI have kept silent far too long,ffar too long Lit. โfrom of old.โ Kept still and restrained Myself;Now I will scream like a woman in labor,I will pant and I will gasp.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 15
Hebrew:
ืึทืึฒืจึดึคืื ืึธืจึดืืึ ืึผืึฐืึธืขึืึนืช ืึฐืืืึพืขึถืฉืึฐืึผึธึื ืืึนืึดึืืฉื ืึฐืฉืึทืึฐืชึผึดึคื ื ึฐืึธืจืึนืชึ ืึธืึดืึผึดึืื ืึทืึฒืึทืึผึดึืื ืืึนืึดึฝืืฉืื
English:
Hills and heights will I scorch,Cause all their green to wither;I will turn rivers into isles,gisles Emendation yields โdesert.โ And dry the marshes up.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 16
Hebrew:
ืึฐืืึนืึทืึฐืชึผึดึฃื ืขึดืึฐืจึดึืื ืึผึฐืึถึืจึถืึฐึ ืึนึฃื ืึธืึธึืขืึผ ืึผึดื ึฐืชึดืืึฅืึนืช ืึนืึพืึธืึฐืขึืึผ ืึทืึฐืจึดืืึตึื ืึธืฉืึดืืึฉ ืึทืึฐืฉืึธึจืึฐ ืึดืคึฐื ึตืืึถึื ืึธืึืึนืจ ืึผืึทึฝืขึฒืงึทืฉืึผึดืืึ ืึฐืึดืืฉืึืึนืจ ืึตึืึผึถื ืึทืึผึฐืึธืจึดึืื ืขึฒืฉืึดืืชึดึื ืึฐืึนึฅื ืขึฒืึทืึฐืชึผึดึฝืืื
English:
I will lead the blindBy a road they did not know,And I will make them walkBy paths they never knew.I will turn darkness before them to light,Rough places into level ground.These are the promisesโI will keep them without fail.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 17
Hebrew:
ื ึธืกึนึคืืึผ ืึธืืึนืจึ ืึตืึนึฃืฉืืึผ ืึนึืฉืึถืช ืึทืึผึนืึฐืึดึืื ืึผึทืคึผึธึืกึถื ืึธืึนืึฐืจึดึฅืื ืึฐืึทืกึผึตืึธึื ืึทืชึผึถึฅื ืึฑืึนืึตึฝืื ืึผืย {ืค}
English:
Driven back and utterly shamedShall be those who trust in an image,Those who say to idols,โYou are our gods!โโ
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 18
Hebrew:
ืึทืึตืจึฐืฉืึดึืื ืฉืึฐืึธึืขืึผ ืึฐืึทืขึดืึฐืจึดึืื ืึทืึผึดึฅืืืึผ ืึดืจึฐืึฝืึนืชื
English:
Listen, you who are deaf;You blind ones, look up and see!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 19
Hebrew:
ืึดึคื ืขึดืึผึตืจึ ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึผึดึฃื ืึดืึพืขึทืึฐืึผึดึื ืึฐืึตืจึตึืฉื ืึผึฐืึทืึฐืึธืึดึฃื ืึถืฉืึฐืึธึื ืึดึคื ืขึดืึผึตืจึ ืึผึดืึฐืฉืึปืึผึธึื ืึฐืขึดืึผึตึืจ ืึผึฐืขึถึฅืึถื ืึฐืึนืึธึฝืื
English:
Who is so blind as My servant,So deaf as the messenger I send?Who is so blind as the chosenhchosen Meaning of Heb. uncertain. one,So blind as GODโs servant?
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 20
Hebrew:
(ืจืืืช) [ืจึธืึฅืึนืช] ืจึทืึผึืึนืช ืึฐืึนึฃื ืชึดืฉืึฐืึนึืจ ืคึผึธืงึฅืึนืึท ืืืึฐื ึทึืึดื ืึฐืึนึฅื ืึดืฉืึฐืึธึฝืขื
English:
Seeing many things, he givesihe gives Heb. โyou give.โ no heed;With ears open, he hears nothing.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 21
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึนืึธึฅื ืึธืคึตึืฅ ืึฐืึทึฃืขึทื ืฆึดืึฐืงึืึน ืึทืึฐืึผึดึฅืื ืชึผืึนืจึธึื ืึฐืึทืึฐืึผึดึฝืืจื
English:
jMeaning of verse uncertain; cf. 43.9โ12. GOD desires his vindication,That he may magnify and glorify the Teaching.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 22
Hebrew:
ืึฐืืึผืึฎ ืขึทืึพืึผึธืึฃืึผื ืึฐืฉืึธืกืึผืึ ืึธืคึตึคืึท ืึผึทืืึผืจึดืืึ ืึผึปืึผึธึื ืึผืึฐืึธืชึผึตึฅื ืึฐืึธืึดึืื ืืืึฐืึผึธึืืึผ ืึธืึคืึผ ืึธืึทืึ ืึฐืึตึฃืื ืึทืฆึผึดึืื ืึฐืฉืึดืกึผึธึื ืึฐืึตืืึพืึนืึตึฅืจ ืึธืฉืึทึฝืื
English:
Yet it is a people plundered and despoiled:All of them are trapped in holes,Imprisoned in dungeons.They are given over to plunder, with none to rescue them;To despoilment, with none to say โGive back!โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 23
Hebrew:
ืึดึฅื ืึธืึถึื ืึทืึฒืึดึฃืื ืึนึืืช ืึทืงึฐืฉืึดึฅื ืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืึทึืข ืึฐืึธืึฝืึนืจื
English:
If only you would listen to this,Attend and give heed from now on!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 24
Hebrew:
ืึดึฝืึพื ึธืชึทึจื (ืืืฉืืกื) [ืึดืึฐืฉืึดืกึผึธึงื] ืึทืขึฒืงึนึื ืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึฅื ืึฐืึนืึฐืึดึืื ืึฒืึฃืึนื ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึืึผ ืึธืึธึฃืื ืึผ ืึืึน ืึฐืึนึฝืึพืึธืึคืึผ ืึดืึฐืจึธืึธืืึ ืึธืึืึนืึฐ ืึฐืึนึฅื ืฉืึธืึฐืขึืึผ ืึผึฐืชืึนืจึธืชึฝืึนื
English:
Who was it gave Jacob over to despoilmentAnd Israel to plunderers?Surely, GODโagainst whom theykthey Heb. โwe.โ sinned,In whose ways they would not walk,And whose Teaching they would not obeyโ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 25
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืคึผึนึคืึฐ ืขึธืึธืืึ ืึตืึธึฃื ืึทืคึผึืึน ืึถืขึฑืึืึผื ืึดืึฐืึธืึธึื ืึทืชึผึฐืึทืึฒืึตึคืืึผ ืึดืกึผึธืึดืืึ ืึฐืึนึฃื ืึธืึธึืข ืึทืชึผึดืึฐืขึทืจึพืึผึืึน ืึฐืึนืึพืึธืฉืึดึฅืื ืขึทืึพืึตึฝืื
English:
Who poured out wrath,Anger, and the fury of war upon them.It blazed upon them all about, but they heeded not;It burned among them, but they gave it no thought.
โถCommentaries (1)